If Gatsas attends the annual meeting next year, he will be just an observer. For reasons few people understand, New Hampshire Republicans have been abuzz Thursday morning at the word that Gatsas did not even get elected to one of 33 delegate spots to attend the annual Republican meeting as a voting member on items like party rules and who will be party's next state chair.

Along with Republicans in Belknap and Rockingham counties, Manchester Republicans met in the generally ignored process of selecting delegates to the annual meeting. The only drama in the local events surrounded whether delegates chosen would eventually back Nashua's Jennifer Horn or Bristol's Andrew Hemingway to be the next chair.

Yet when the first votes came in something was very interesting. Over 50 Manchester Republicans were nominated for 33 delegate slots and one alternate slot in case someone couldn't make it for the Jan. 26 meeting in Bedford.

Of that group 32 were easily chosen, including out-going U.S. Rep. Frank Guinta. However, there was a five-way tie for the 32nd, 33rd and the alternate slot. The five way tie was between Guinta staffer Kory Wood, activist Kelly Hurst, Mayor Ted Gatsas, activist Bob Barry and Chip Gardner (son of Secretary of State Bill Gardner.)

When a second round of voting was done among that group Wood and Hurst won the final two slots and Gardner beat out Gatsas.

Gatsas didn't attend the meeting (nor did Guinta) but it is especially odd that his own city Republicans snubbed him given that he could be headed for re-election next year and is already rumored to be a candidate for governor in 2014.